The present invention relates to a powder element for ammunition without shells, i.e., caseless ammunition, particularly for automatic weapons.
Powder elements for ammunition which does not have a shell have already been proposed in which the priming means are fastened in flat bores on the exterior of the powder element. The priming means are thus exposed to damaging environmental influences such as humidity, heat and the like. Additionally, with this arrangement, the danger exists that mechanical influences may loosen or undo the press or adhesive connection of the priming means to the powder element. If the priming means are treated with protective lacquers or adhesive as a means for protection, this can possibly impede the priming sensitivity when the solvents enter into the priming means. Finally, the efficiency of a priming means attached to the exterior of the powder element is also reduced since a portion of the energy released upon priming escapes uselessly through the gap between the outer surface of the powder element and the bottom surface of the combustion chamber. To compensate for this problem, the amount of priming means must be increased.
The Swiss Pat. No. 358,360 discloses ammunition in which a cartridge of a deformable material, for example a thermoplastic, has the priming agent or means embedded on the inside of the bottom piece of the cartridge shell or casing, so that the priming agent is protected against damaging environmental influences. The ammunition proposed in this patent, however, is not ammunition without shells and moreover the specific teachings of this patent cannot be used in the proposed configuration for ammunition without shells.